Emerging business advice
​"People know your worth. They just hope you don't"
Department of labor; employment & training administration has several grant programs for ex-felons that are out of prison as well as for felons that are pre-release. These grants are available to cover housing, transportation, small business & community development.
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​The DOJ's Office of Justice Programs has second chance grant programs aimed at reducing recidivism, community safety initiative, drug abuse prevention, helping felons renter society and stopping violence.
SAMHSA offers grants for most organizations that deal with drug and mental health issues.
If your looking for government grants, your first stop should be grants.gov. The site is the central searchable database for all available grants from more than two dozen grant-making agencies. You can search through the site for grants in your industry or area of expertise.
Every state has has its own grant programs that are available to its residents. Google grants in your state of residence to find availability.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS
Cities and towns have tax dollars and donations for grants that help economic development. Go to your local City Hall and Building of Commerce to find availability.
MBDA is part of the U.S Department of Commerce. It helps millions of minority entrepreneurs start, operate, and grow small businesses. They also help you write business plans, marketing, and seek loans and grants.
​SBA offers a few grants, but its primary business is providing access to loans.SBA micro loans program is easier for an ex-felon to get because they're usually not looking for a high dollar loan greater then $50,000. The average micro loan is $13,000.
RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES DEVELOPMENT
These two organization provide free access to mentoring workshops, and assistance in creating a business plan, developing your business idea, and inspiring you to start your own business and guidance about where to seek business funding.
​Business classes, low cost, one-on-one, consulting services and a business incubator with low priced office & cubicle space.
​This database offers an essential and professional database that houses thousands of U.S. foundations, grant making public charities, corporate giving programs, and private grant makers.
GRANTWATCH is a database that can help ex-felon business owners and others search for funding opportunities. The system features details on nearly 28,000 grant programs, including almost 1,200 small business grants.You will need to subscribe to the service to access the full data base. Membership costs between $18 per week to $199 per year. However, there is a free membership option available that can provide you with limited information about some grants at no cost.
HELP FOR FELONS.ORG
The organization that aims to help former felons in a variety of ways. From finding housing and job opportunities to providing information on small business grants and loans, you can find many resources on the website that might make it easier to navigate life after incarceration.
A non-profit organization that aims to help ex-felons create a better future for themselves and their families. The organization offers numerous resources, including free entrepreneurship courses (in person and online) and an eight-week entrepreneurship series.
​ANGEL INVESTORS
​An angel investor is someone who offers private funding to a business startup in exchange for financial backing, the angel investor often requires some form of compensation -perhaps equity in your business or future royalties. You'll typically need to prove that you have an enticing business idea with a good chance of financial success or market disruption to attract such investors to your project.
The Prison Education Foundation offers multiple scholarships to both inmates and ex-prisoners. The number of scholarships available is based on the availability of donor funding. Preference is given to those who successfully earned their GED while incarcerated and those wiling and able to pay part of he net cost of their tuition.
The Prison Education Foundation offers multiple scholarships to both inmates and ex-prisoners. The number of scholarships available is based on the availability of donor funding. Preference is given to those who successfully earned their GED while incarcerated and those wiling and able to pay part of he net cost of their tuition.